Electric flash sign



Feb. 9, 1937. R. KAMM 2,070,132

ELECTRIC FLASH SIGN Filed Aug. 26, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l array F eb. 9,1937.

R. KAMM 3 ELECTRIC FLASH SIGN Filed Aug. 26, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNHTED STATES FATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to new improvements in an electric flash sign.

In the former flash signs of this type that are found on themarket,wherein two or more portions of the sign are alternatelydisplayed from the same device, such former signs have not been properlyeffective in making each sign portion distinctly visible by itself whilethe others remained invisible at the same time; but it frequentlyoccurred that when one sign portion was made visible by the device, thatthe other sign portion was also slightly visible; in other words, thatthe several sign portions in being flashed alternately by the device,would appear intermingled and would thus obscure each other. I havefound that such defect was chiefly due to the lack of the use of properseparating means or screening means between the several sign portions ofthe multiple flash device.

It is one of the main objects and purposes of this invention to providesuch a multiple flash device having alternate flash sign portions,wherein proper separating means is provided so that one sign portion isalone clearly and distinctly visible at a time while the alternate signportion or portions remain entirely invisible, until said first signportion thereupon becomes invisible, and the succeeding sign portionalone shows clearly and distinctly by the device.

A more particular object of this invention is to provide an illuminatedflash sign of this type which includes front means bearing one signportion, and rear means bearing another sign portion, which signportions are alternately made visible; and to provide such flash signwith separating means interposed between the two sign means, so as toeffectively render one sign portion entirely invisible, while the othersign portion alone is clearly and distinctly visible.

These and various other objects and advantages will become apparent fromthe following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which the invention is shown in its preferred form, it beingunderstood that this is illustrative only and that other arrangementsand forms of construction may be resorted to for carrying out theobjects and purposes of this invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a flash sign embodying myinvention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, partly broken away and partly insection.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view thereof, partly broken away and partlyin section.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail rear view, taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, 5 taken on line 5-5 ofFig. 1.

Figs. 6, '7, 8, and 9 are front elevational views, respectively, of thefront panel with the binding means around its edge; the forward screenbearing the front sign portion, thereon; the inter- 10 mediate shieldingscreen; and the rear panel bearing the rear sign portion thereon, alsobearing a shielding or separating coat over the front face of said rearsign portion and panel.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational 15 view of the forwardscreen bearing the front sign portion thereon.

The drawings illustrate this invention in its preferred form ofconstruction, and as being particularly adapted for a window displaydevice or the like. The device comprises my improved multiple signmember I5 which is in the form of a compound sign plate consisting of aplurality of layers or members, herein shown in the form of panels andscreens, as indicated in Fig. 5. The several members of this compoundsign plate I5 are preferably bound together by a marginal channel-shapedbinding member I6 and are therewith mounted removably across the openfront end I! of a casing or housing I8.

This mounting of sign member I5 across the front opening of said casingis preferably accomplished by providing a frame I 9 which has a rearchannel 20 wherein sign member I5 is removably mounted, as by latchelements 2I swingable on the frame, adapted to engage against the rearof binding member I1; and furthermore providing a marginal flange 22 oncasing I8, which extends laterally from opening I1; and mounting saidframe I9 openably against the front of said flange, as by the use ofhinge means 23 on flange 22 and frame I9, and by latch elements 24 heldswingably by screws 25 on frame I9, adapted to be swung into engagementwith the rear of flanges 22, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4.

In the form illustrated in this application the sign member I5 isarranged to function as a double flash sign, comprising two sets ofwords or expressions which are alternately displayed thru the front ofthe sign. For this reason, and as best disclosed in Fig. 5, this signmember I5 comprises a front panel 26, illustrated in Fig. 6, which istransparent and preferably consists of glass; and against the rear ofsaid panel 26 a front sign bearing member 21 is placed, as illustratedin Fig. '7, which is in the form of a screen and has placed thereon thefront sign expression or front sign wording, indicated at 21',preferably by painting said wording on the screen, as best shown in Fig.10. Against the rear face of said member 2! with sign portion 21, Iplace a separating member 28, as illustrated in Fig. 8, which member ispreferably of screen material fairly closely woven, adapted to form abackground for the front sign portion 21, and at the same time to permita strong light ray from the rear to penetrate therethru. At the rear ofmember 28 I mount a rear sign bearing member 29 as illustrated in Fig.9, and said member is preferably in the form of a glass panel having therear sign portion or wording 29 provided thereon, which is preferablydone with a coat of suitable paint 30 applied to said glass panelleaving the sign wording 29 unpainted and thus transparent, so that therays of light will be transmitted thru said unpainted sign portion,while the rays are at the same time shut-01f by the paint 3!) on thesurrounding portion.

The above outlined arrangement including my novel separating member 28is not always sufficient to completely separate the twoportions of thesign and to render them individually clearly distinct; and I furthermoreuse an additional translucent separating element or means 3| between thefront sign portion 21' and the rear sign portion 29', and for thiselement I preferably use a thin coat of paint of a light color, forexample, a thin coat of white lead, which is applied over the front faceof member 29 and over its coat of paint 38 thereon with its sign wordingv29, as shown in Figs. 5 and 9.

During the bright hours of the day the front sign portion 2'! will beclearly visible and will show distinctly thru the front panel 26, whilethe separating means, which includes the screen 28 and the coat of paint3|, completely conceal the rear sign portion 29' from View. Forilluminating the rear sign portion 29 illuminating means 33 is providedin the casing, and the form illustrated herein includes a pair ofelectric light bulbs 34 operatively connected with a flash element 35.

For producing the proper lighting effect in this flash sign device, thelight bulbs used herein approximately equal between 40 watts and 60watts for each square foot of area of the sign member l5.

In order to provide proper illumination during darkness, for the frontsign portion 21', illuminating means 36 is also provided to throw itsrays upon the front of sign member I5. In the form shown herein thiscomprises a light bulb 31 which is mounted by a socket 38 and a bracket39 upon the casing 18, and is operatively connected with flash element35, as by circuit wires 40. A switch device 4! is preferably alsointerposed in circuit wires til, so as to enable light 31 to be switchedoff during the light hours of the day if desired, while the usualdaylight renders the front sign portion 2'!" distinctly visible when thestrong rear illuminating means 33 is turned off. A shield 42 is providedover bulb 31.

Double flash signs, including a front glass panel and a front screen atthe rear thereof bearing a front sign portion, and also a rear panelbearing the rear sign portion and mounted against the rear face of saidscreen which carries the front sign portion, have been known and in useheretofore. However, such signs have proved to be unsatisfactory anddeficient, since the sign aovdisa portions would be shown somewhatintermingled instead of each being shown alone at a time, while thealternate portion was intended to remain invisible.

It has been found in actual practice that with my improved separatingmeans, between the two sign portions, especially when the improved signincludes both the shielding means like the screen 28, and also theshielding and reflecting means like the coat of paint 3| which isprovided across the front face of the rear sign portion, that with thiscompound shielding means interposed between the front sign portion 2'!and the rear sign portion 29', I provide a translucent separating meansor screening means between said two sign portions, whereby my improvedsign device will positively display alternately and distinctly the frontsign portion, and then the rear sign portion, each at a time, while theother portion is retained completely hidden from view. When hereby thestrong rear light 33 is illuminated, the rear sign portion 29 will alonebe displayed; while the front sign portion 2'! will then be invisible,as it is carried on the front sign screen, and as the shielding screen28 and the paint layer 3! then provide a complete shielding means forthe front sign portion 21' on the front screen 21. Thereafter, when thebright daylight occurs, or when the front light 31 is illuminated, whilethe rear light 33 is off, the front sign portion 2'! alone is distinctlydisplayed, and is fully and clearly reflected especially by theseparating coat 3 I, while the rear sign portion 29' is thereby fullyhidden from View.

While I have disclosed certain preferred embodiments of my invention,these are to be taken as illustrative only, as it is capable of changeand variation to meet differing conditions and requirements, and Icontemplate such modiflcations as come within the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sign device comprising a sign member including a transparent frontpanel, a meshed member at the rear thereof bearing means providing thefront sign portion, a transparent rear member bearing opaque meansproviding the rear sign portion, screening means positioned to the rearof said front sign portion, and thin translucent and reflective meanspositioned in front of said rear member with its rear sign portion,thereby providing translucent shielding and separating means between thetwo sign portions to make each sign portion distinctly visible at a timewhile the other is entirely invisible.

2. An electric sign device comprising a multiple sign member andilluminating means rearward thereof, said sign member comprising atransparent front protecting member, means rearward thereof bearing thefront sign portion, screening means rearward of said sign portion, arear member bearing the rear sign portion thereon, and a thintranslucent and reflective sheet of material positioned between saidrear sign portion and said screening means, whereby to make each signportion distinctly visible at a time.

3. An electric flash sign comprising a casing having an open end, a signmember mounted removably across said open end and comprising atransparent front panel, a screen member at the rear thereof bearing thefront sign portion thereon, a rear transparent panel bearing an opaquecoat of material providing a rear sign portion, and separating meansinterposed between the two sign portions and including a screen memberrearward of the front sign portion, also thin translucent and reflectivemeans positioned across the front face of said rear panel Withits rearsign portion, thereby providing a translucent shielding and separatingmeans between the two sign portions, and electric illuminating means forthe sign member provided with a flash element for alternately actuatingsaid illuminating means.

4. An electric flash sign comprising a casing having an open front end,a sign member mounted removably across said open end, electricilluminating means including light meansin the casing rearward of thesign member, also light means on the casing forward of the sign memberand a flash element for alternately actuating said light means, saidsign member comprising a front transparent panel, a screen member at therear thereof having the front sign portion painted thereon, a reartransparent panel having an opaque coat of paint thereon and leavingparts unpainted to provide a rear sign portion, and separating meansinterposed between the two sign portions and consisting of a screenmember placed at the rear of the front sign portion, also a thin coat oflight paint positioned across the front face of said rear panel with itsrear sign portion, thereby providing a translucent shielding andseparating means between the two sign portions and a reflecting meansfor the forward sign portion, whereby to make each sign portiondistinctly visible at a time while the other is entirely in- Visible.

RICHARD KAMM.

